2 switches on the same control unit

[lwmlwm44]

Howdy I hooked up 2 Bachmann no. 5 switches on the same control unit as I wanted them to work in conjunction with each other.

They worked fine for about 7 or 8 throws and then it seems they wouldn't work.......either in conjunction or hooking up one at a time.    I could hear a clicking noise in the one switch but that was all.    I then hooked them up to another switch control and they seem to be working fine.   I have tried them well over a dozen times and so far so good.

Anyone got any idea as to what happened.    Are the controls not able to handle throwing more than 1 switch..........perhaps it was to much for the control unit.

Anyone else use just 1 control unit to operate multiple switches.

Thanks

Larry

[Joe Satnik]

Dear Larry,

It's possible that the contacts are too small for twice the normal solenoid current. 

Arcing and pitting (from excessive current) could have caused them to lose good electrical contact.   

Next failure try wiring in an Atlas #56 switch control box.   

If that doesn't work well enough, you could try a capacitor discharge circuit.

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

[lwmlwm44]

THanks Joe for the tip   next time i am at the lake where my bench is at will see how the switches are throwing.........if i get another failure will try the atlas unit

going to take the back off of the switch control unit that came with the bachmann switch to see if I canget a idea of what the problem may be.   Not for sure what is in one of those critters besides the wires.

Larry

[Joe Satnik]

Dear Larry,

Hobby shops sometimes have junk bins full of those #56s.  Dig to the bottom of the bin for missing screws.   

If you take the back off the Bachmann control, smooth out the contacts if they look dirty or pitted, clean out any dirt or grit or old lube with alcohol dampened paper towels or cotton swabs, then re-lube contacts with fresh conductive lubricant.

Where/how are you splicing the two triple-wire cables together?  Near the control, or near the solenoids?

Voltage drop along your wires is I x R, or current x wire resistance.  If you are trying to draw twice the current (from two coils) down a single cable, you will get twice the voltage drop.  The total resistance of a wire grows with its length (Ohms per foot x length),  so a long run of wires may drop enough voltage to prevent the two solenoids from switching....in that case heavier gauge wire would help.

Hope this makes sense.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

[lwmlwm44]

Joe I removed the backs of the control boxes this past week and was amazed at the wiring in them.............a regular little board with all kinds of circuits on it.     I couldn't see any signs of a burn anywhere and the clips on the end of the unit that receive the power look good.

I spliced the switches together near the switch or I guess what you refer to as the solenoid.   The length of wire is about 4 feet from the control box to the 2 switches...........I left about 6 in. of the fine wire installed on the control box and on each switch and the extra length is a 22 gauge wire.

I operated the switches about 8 or 9 times this past week and so far they are working great together.


If things change and they g o out again, will check out the atlas unit.

Larry

[full maxx]

I have 2 #6 crossovers and both are wired to 1 switch each and have been since Jan. with no problem...they don't get switched all the time but at least 100 times since wiring and never missed

[lwmlwm44]

Sounds promising for me Full Maxx